Combination bathtub and support for infants



April 1, 1958 H. 1.; BAKER 2,828,489

COMBINATION BATHTUB AND SUPPORT FOR INFANTS Filed Aug. 15, 1955 I i /4 4 INVENTOR. f Hana/0 L. flake/ .4 TTORf/EK .ited

amass CGMBINATltGN EATHTUB AND surronr iron INFANTS This invention relates to an appliance for use in the care of infants and more particularly to an arrangement somewhat in the nature of a combination bathtub and bassinet, a primary object being to provide a safety factor to eliminate the risk of drowning, as well as falling not only during the bathing operation but while the infant sleeps and during the changing of its clothing.

it is the most important object of the instant invention to provide an appliance of the aforementioned character that includes cradle means attached to the sides of an open-top vessel, one of such cradle means consisting of a raised portion in the bottom of the vessel to cradle the infant in a position where its head cannot become immersed in the bath water.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide an infants bathtub having a cradle-like support closing the open-top of the vessel, one form whereof is adapted to present a bed, and the other a panel upon which the child may be laid during dressing and other operations.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a top plan view of a combination bathtub and support for infants made pursuant to my present invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view taken on line II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse, cross-sectional view taken on line l1lIIi of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 2 showing one form of support operably mounted thereon; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showing another form of support.

For the most part the size and shape of the appliance illustrated in the drawings will depend upon the desires of the manufacturer, but it is contemplated that vessel 10, forming a part thereof, be relatively small in width, breadth and depth to accommodate only babies unable to bathe and dress themselves and likely to drown or fall from the appliance if not under the constant care of an attendant.

Vessel "all is provided with a pair of side walls 12 and 14, a pair of end walls 16 and 18, and a bottom broadly designated by the numeral 20. As seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the sides 12 and 14, as well as the end wall 13, are shown as straight, whereas the end wall 16 is preferably substantially semi-circular. In any event, all of the walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 preferably slope inwardly as the bottom 20 is approached.

Cradle means 22 forming a part of the bottom 20 and attached to the walls 12, 14, 16 and 18 is in the nature of an elongated, raised portion extending longitudinally of the vessel 19 and provided with a transversely concave top 24 that slopes downwardly toward the bottom 20 as the end wall 18 is approached. Except for a bead 26 defining the uppermost end and sides of the cradle means 22, the top 24 may be substantially straight longitudinally, merging with the bottom 20 at the lowermost end of top 24- in a gentle slope 28. The two triangular-shaped sides 30, as well as the semi-circular end 32 of the cradle means 22, converge with the sides 12 and 14 and with the end 16 respectively presenting a U-shaped cavity 34.

atent A continuous outturned channel 36 at the uppermost edge of the vessel 10 is adapted to releasably mount a support 38 (Fig. 4), as well as a similar support 40 (Fig. 5) on the vessel 10 in closing relationship to the open top thereof. The peripheral edge of the support 38 is curled around the channel 36 and terminates in a continuous bead 42 adapted to snap in place within the channel 36. A similar mounting bead 44 is provided on the support 40 at the peripheral edge thereof.

Manifestly, when the appliance is used as a bathtub, neither of the supports 38 nor 40 is employed. It is contemplated that the level of bath water need not be higher than just sufiicient to immerse the cradle means 22. When the infant is laid upon the top 24 with its head adjacent the end 16, and its feet at the bottom near the end 18, there is no danger whatsoever of drowning or choking and sutlicient water is available in the cavity 34, as well as at the end 18 of the vessel 10 to bathe the child in the usual manner.

The fact that top 24 slopes downwardly toward the bottom 20, causes a substantial immersion of the child without danger of its head becoming immersed, and the concave-transverse cross-sectional contour of the top 24, cradles the child and tends to prevent undue movement, thereby simplifying the bathing task.

After the bath, support 38 may be quickly snapped into place and the infant laid thereon for drying and dressing. Subsequently, the support 40 which hangs loosely into the vessel 10, may be used to present a bassinet.

While it is contemplated that the materials used in producing the appliance be sufficiently pliable and resilient to permit mounting and removal of the supports 38 and 40, such material should be sufiiciently self-sustaining as to prevent collapse during use thereof in the manners above set forth.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A unitary, one piece bathtub for infants comprising an elongated, open-top vessel having a substantially 0- shaped bottom, a pair of sides and a pair of ends, the sides and ends sloping inwardly toward the outer peripheral part of said bottom; a longitudinally extending raised cradle portion integral with the bottom and spaced from said sides and ends, said cradle portion having a pair of identical, substantially triangular sides, the base edges of which lie in a plane through said bottom, a semi-cylindrical end sloping outwardly toward said bottom and a transversely concave, longitudinally straight top, all portions of said top sloping downwardly from said semi-cylindrical end and smoothly merging with the bottom adjacent the proximal end of the vessel, the uppermost, major area of the top having less slope than the lower part thereof that merges into said bottom; and a U-shaped bead defining the uppermost periphery of said cradle portion, the uppermost end of the cradle portion being at the bight of the bead and spaced substantially midway between opposed upper and lower peripheral portions of the proximal end of said vessel, said end of the vessel proximal to said end of the cradle portion being arcuate and concentric to said end of the cradle portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,512,068 Thornburg Oct. 21, 1924 1,962,076 Jadkowski June 5, 1934 2,081,728 Bassett May 25, 1937 2,089,801 Kennedy Aug. 10, 1937 2,143,674 Berger Jan. 10, 1939 2,163,154 Radimsky June 20, 1939 2,566,495 Miyakawa Sept. 4, 1951 

